Treefall claims life of rickshaw driver in Dombivli
Thane: A 60-year-old rickshaw driver died after a tree fell on his vehicle in Dombivli, raising concerns over tree safety and municipal negligence.
Thane: A 60-year-old rickshaw driver on Thursday lost his life after an old Gulmohar tree collapsed onto his rickshaw in the Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC) area of Dombivli. The rickshaw was crushed, trapping the driver inside. He succumbed to his injuries on Friday while undergoing treatment.
The driver, Ramdin Lodhi, was a resident of Kolegaon on Shilphata Road. CCTV footage from a residential building showed him dropping off a passenger and counting the fare received when the uprooting tree fell on his vehicle. The impact severely damaged the rickshaw, inside which Lodhi was trapped under the weight of the tree’s trunk and branches, said an eyewitness.
The Manpada police have registered an Accidental Death Report in the case. An officer said, “When the man got trapped, pedestrians and residents rushed to the spot after hearing his cries for help. They managed to free Lodhi from the wreckage and immediately took him to a private hospital. Unfortunately, he succumbed to his severe injuries during treatment.”
Lodhi, a senior citizen, was well-known for transporting passengers between Dombivli railway station and areas like MIDC, Kolegaon, and Kate. His tragic death has left the local rickshaw driver community in shock. His friend and fellow rickshaw driver, Laxman Chauhan spoke of Lodhi as a kind and hardworking man who was saving every penny for the education and marriage of his two daughters.
“There are so many trees in a precarious condition, and the authorities must inspect them regularly to prevent such tragedies. People here work hard to earn their livelihood, not for leisure,” said Chauhan. “The authorities responsible for this negligence should be held accountable, and the government must take immediate action in this matter.”
The fallen tree also damaged parked vehicles, including two-wheelers and other rickshaws. Residents of the area blamed frequent roadwork, excavation, and the lack of soil support from concrete roads for weakening tree roots in the MIDC area. They urged the MIDC and Kalyan-Dombivli Municipal Corporation (KDMC) to take immediate action to address hazardous trees. Raju Nalawade, a local resident, said, “Continuous digging and concrete work have weakened tree roots, turning them into death traps. The authorities must inspect and fix this issue before more lives are lost.”
KDMC’s deputy commissioner of garden and tree authorities, Sanjay Jadhav, said, “This tree was not listed as a dangerous one, yet we are conducting thorough inspections to determine the cause of its sudden collapse. We have observed that trees in dangerous conditions remain intact, while seemingly healthy ones break unexpectedly. We will carry out inspections again as per our routine protocols.”
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